Bookbinding method and means



March 13, 1945. R. A. WILLIAMS 4 2,371,566

BOOKBINDING METHOD AND MEANS Filed March 8, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In v/ekfbrx 05%072z0 z'l/z'ams 4/ for eg R. A. WILLIAMS -BOOKBINDING METHOD AND MEANS March 13, 1945.

Filed March 8, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 [11727 2 i nzar' a r a 319K v4 fa rn e31 Patented Mar. 13, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 13 Claims.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a bookbinding method and means for securing sheets, pages or leaves together in loose-leaf fashion, that is to say, in an assemblage in which the several leaves or pages are not secured to each other at thebinding margin, but are each freely strung on the binding means,

- as distinguished from the closed type of binding in which the leaves are sewen, glued, or stapled as paper, sized cloth, and like materials of relativeh flexible quality adapted to take an adhesive or agglutinant employed in the binding.

A further object is the provision of a binding in the form of an elongated strip having a plurality of binding fingers projecting laterally therefrom at intervals along the length of the strip, the fingers being adapted to pass through slots in the leaves to be bound and then turned back for engagement between lips or flanges forming part of said strip.

A further object is the preparation of the binding strip in laminated form from superimposed elongated strips of paper or the like, which have been glued together throughout their length excepting along one longitudinal edge, the unglued or unattached edge portions providing the separable lips or flanges aforesaid, and the binding fingers or prongs being stamped or'otherwise cut portions, whereby separable lips or flanges are provided along said longitudinal edge portions, the glued strips being cut in appropriate lengths, and thereafter being subjected to a stamping operation in which the binding fingers or prongs are formed, said stamping operation being effected in a manner to provide two complete binding strips from each severed length of tape. e

Other objects relate to the provision of .a binding consisting of an elongated strip portion with lateral binding fingers adhered to the strip portion after being passed through the matter to be bound; to the provision of opposite flange or lip portions on the strip portion for securing the endsof the binding fingers; to the method and means for preparing binding strips with a minimum wastage of strip stock; and to the various features of novelty and utility which will appear hereinafter asthe following description proceeds in view of the annexed drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the strip-forming means which employs a the strip stock;

Fig. 2 is a erspective view of a prepared strip which has been stamped or die-cut to form-two bindings;

Fig, 3 is a perspective view of the stamped stri of Fig. 2 after the two bindings have been separated, following the stamping or die-cutting operation;

Fig. 4 is a perspective fragment of a book with the binding inserted preparatory to the formingup operation; Fig. 5 is a perspective fragment of a book with the binding formed-up or completed;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified stripforming means adapted to the employment of glued strips or stock.

Referring to Fig. l, the novel binding is prepared by a process which employs two rolls 20 and 2| of paper or cloth tape which ranges from one and one-half to,two inches in width,- depending upon the length of binding finger or prong desired.

Theunderside of the top roll 20 is coated with a heat-fusible adhesive 22a of known type commonly available on the open market, while the upper side of the lower roll 2| is coated with a layer 22b of the same kind of adhesive (the adhesive on both strips being indicated by the mottling thereon).

The free ends of each strip are fed in superimposed relation, with their adhesive surfaces engaged, between forming rollers 23 and-24 so as to be pressed firmly together. One of the forming rollers, preferably the lower one, 24, has a hollow shaft 24a into which .is fitted an electric heating rod or coil 25, adapted to heat the lower roller 24, which is of metal.

As the superimposed strips are pulled through the forming rollers (by means not shown), the lower heated .roller 24 causes the adhesive on bothstrips to fuse, and the resulting coherence secures the two paper or cloth strips together in the manner illustrated by the formed portion of thezistripping issuing to the right of the rollers, a

An important feature of the process resides in the provision of beveled edges 23a and 23b at,

heat-fusing adhesive on each end of the upper roller 28, which results in leaving the opposite longitudinal edge portions 11 and 28 of the formed strip unattached, so that a pair of divergent lips or flanges 21a and no, on

one side, and 28a and 281: on the other side, are provided along the opposite edges of the strip.

It is important in the method of preparing these binding blanks or strips, that the web or stock strip 20 or 40, which is to be biased or curled, shall be fed between the rollers 23 2, or '45, 48, at an angle A' (see Figs. 1 and 6) of approximately 30 to 40 to the plane of movement both rollers in the plane of movement of the composite strip between the rollers, and therefore the strip' portion which is to be curled should be fed at an angle A away from this tangent and in a direction away from the other strip.

Any kind of adhesive or gluing substance may be used in the process with either paper or cloth or similar fibrous stock; and the strips may be pre-coated, or the adhesive or agglutinant may be applied just prior to feeding the strip stock into the pressing members or rollers.

In order to apply the curl or bias which results in the edgewise flanges or lips, the beveled roller, at least, should be about as wide as the strip or web stock, as shown in Fig. l; and the width of the beveled surface or curling formation should be about the width of the desired flange or lip portion.

The formed strip 28 is next out off at a desired length and placed in a stamping or die-cutting machine (not shown), and a series of alternate prongs or fingers is cut through so that two complete bindings 21:: and 28:: are formed (see Fig. 3), each binding having its own set of spaced, laterally-extending binding prongs or fingers 21x11 and 2821!, respectively. These individual bindings are now ready for use.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, a stack of leaves to be bound, 29, has prepared therein a series of binding slots 30 extending along the binding margin thereof, each slot being of a width to receive a corresponding one of the fingers 28x11, for example; whereupon the binding strip 21:: has its several fingers inserted in the slots 30, prepar- "biasproduced by the bevel means atory to the forming-up operation and insertion of the fingers between the lips or bifurcations 28 28b. 1

In a modified form of binding, illustrated in Fig. -6, the adhesive coatings 42a and 42b are of the water-soluble kind, such as ordinary animal glue, and the underside of the top strip passes over' a moistening means, such as the brush 3, rotating in a water pan 44, so that the adhesive coating mat-least, is moistened, and thereafter caused to adhere to the lower strip in passing.

beneath the pressure rollers 45 and 46. Roller 45 has opposite end portions beveled as at 45a, D, as in the method of Fig. 1, but the heating means 24a of Fig. 1 is omitted in Fig. 6.

In other respects, the composite or formed strip portion 41 issuing from between the presser rollers, is identical to the strip portion 26 of Fig. 1, opposite divergent or open flange or lip portions 484, "b, on one side, and 49a, 49b on the other side, being formed as in the first method of Fig. 1. Moreover, the glued strip portions, after being cut to desired length, are stamped or die-cut. as 7 in Fig; 2, to provide two complete binding strips or blanks of the type shown in Fig. 3.

It may be noted that in both methods oi forming the novel binding (Figs. 1 and 6) the flanges 21a, 2'"), or 49a, 49b, respectively, tend to remain spread apart, owing to a curling effect or bias imparted by the combined eflects of adhesion and 23b or "D, as the case may be. 7

Numerous advantages attach to the novel binding means, and important economies in material result irom the method of forming the bindings. The paper or cloth stock used in preparing the binding strips is of non-critical nature and may be easily obtained; the mechanism necessary for the preparation of the binding strips is simple and easily manipulated, and the resulting binding is adequately strong for mostly all binding purposes, the cloth binding being exceptionally satisiactoryin this respect, and nearly as cheap as the paper type.

By forming or cutting two individual binding pieces from a single formed strip in the manner illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, wastage is reduced to a minimum. The bindings are light in weight and may be shipped in large quantities at little expense, taking up little roomin stock quantities. Also, the material of which the bindings are fabricated lends itself to the receipt of an imprint of identifying data, which is frequently important in bookbinding to keep jobs separated. Moreover, the bindings are so light and flexible that they conform themselves very readily to the shape of the backbone of the bound sheaf and assist in permitting the bound leaves to turn easily and lie open.

While paper, cloth, particularly sized cloth familiar in the bookbinding arts, and analogous materials like cardboard, are suggested as suitable materials for the novel binding, the use of other materials of equivalent qualities adapted to the various operations of the binding process, are all contemplated by this disclosure, the invention is not intended to be limited to the precise details set forth herein for the purposes of illustration and description, excepting only as may be expressly provided in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, discovery, and improvement, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United ,States is:

l. A binding of the class described comprising a relatively elongated strip of laminated flexible material having laminae separated to form opposite flange portions along one edge, and a plurality of integral laterally extending binding fingers projecting from an opposite edge and each looped back with a free end portion engaged between said flange portions, the matter to be bound being strung onthe looped portions of said fingers.

2-."A binding of the class described comprising a relatively elongated strip formed of superimposed, adhesively joined strips with a longitudinal side portion at which said strips are not joined but left separated to form opposite lips, said elongated strip having a plurality of laterally projecting binding fingers on an opposite longitudinal side portion, said fingers being adapted to pass through material to be bound and each, having a free end portion secured between said lips so as to form binding rings, engaged with said matter to be bound. 7 3. A binding comprising a composite strip formed of superimposed layers of fibrous material securedtogether, said strip having an edge portion with a plurality of integral binding lingers arranged therealong, each finger having a free end adapted to be passed through material to be bound, said strip having a second edge portion at which said layers are not secured together as aforesaid, said free ends of the fingers being adapted to be received between said unsecured layer portions for adhesively securing the finger ends therebetween with said fingers in looped condition to provide binding rings.

4. A binding comprising an elongated composite strip of fibrous material, said strip being com-v posed of superimposed strip portions adheslvely joined throughout their extent excepting along one longitudinal edge portion, said unjoined edge portions forming opposite lips, said composite strip having integral, lateral binding projections arranged along an edge portion opposite said lips, each said projection having a free end, said free ends being fixedly secured between said lips, whereby said binding projections form looped stringers adapted to hold leaves thereon in looseleaf style.

5. The method of forming a binding of the class described which comprises feeding adhesively coated individual strips of flexible material between pressing members to form a composite strip, with said individual strip portions joined in median parts but not along longitudinal edge portions of the composite strip, whereby to leave opposite, separable flanges along at least one edge of said composite strip, thereafter cutting said median parts through to form a plurality of binding fingers extending laterally of said flanges and each provided with a free end adapted to be received between said flanges by looping said flngers.

6. The method of making a binding of the class described, which comprises passing strips between pressing members, one or more of said strips having an adhesive coating on a surface opposite another of said strips, said strips being adhesively joined into a composite strip by pressing action of said members, one of said pressing members being provided with a bias-forming means, one of said strips, at least, having a longitudinal edge portion biased away from the corresponding edge portion of the confronting strip, whereby to'form unjoined, opposite flange portions along the edge of said composite strip.

7. The method of forming a composite binding strip which comprises feeding at least two strips oi'flexible tape between pressing rollers, at

- leastone of said tapes having an adhesive coata. The method of preparing a composite binding tape which comprises feeding a pair of tapes between pressing rollers, at least one of said tapes having a glue coating on a side thereof confronting one longitudinal edge of one tape, at least, away from the other tape by feeding the tape to be curled between said rollers at an angle to a common tangent of said rollers and away from the other tape, the roller which is disposed on the side of displacement of the tape to be curled having a curling formation opposite the edge to be curled, whereby opposite longitudinal flanges are left along at least one edge of said .composite tape.

9. A method for preparing a composite binding'tape which comprises adhesively joining a pair of superimposed elongated flexible tapes by feeding them into juxtaposition with cemetitious material therebetween, biasing a longitudinal edge portion of at least one tape out of the plane or the latter during said feeding and Joining operation so as to leave said edge portion and the confronting edge portions of the companion tape unjoined, whereby to provide a pair of opposite. separable lip flanges along one edge, at least, of said composite tape.

10. The method of claim 9 further characterized in that both longitudinal edge portions of at least one of said tapes are biased as aforesaid to provide the said pairs of lip flanges along both opposite longitudinal edges or the composite tape, and stamping interfltting, laterally extending fingers in sections of the median portions of the composite tape so that alternate fingers remain attached, at one end thereof, respectively, to corresponding portions of the composite tape, each said last-mentioned tape portion ineluding, respectively, one of said pairs of flange said section of the composite tape.

11. In an apparatus for forming composite binding tape, cooperable presser rollers or predetermined width adapted to press strip mate rial, of approximately the same predetermined 45 of said tapes, at least, passes, said last-mentioned tape being fed at an angle to a tangent.

common to said rollers in the direction of movement or said material therebetween, whereby said beveled portion biases said edge portion away from the corresponding'edge portion of the other tape, such that said last-mentioned edge portionsremain in separated relation in passing between said rollers.

12. Binding of the loose-leaf variety comprising a stringer or elongated form adapted to be passed through the matter to be bound." said ing the other tape, moistening said coating prior to passage of the tapes between said rollers, curlstringer being laminated-with laminae separated at one end to form a pair or confronting lips, and the opposite end of said stringer being cementitiously secured between said lips after being passed through said matter to be'bound, wherebytororm aclosed ring-like binding. i

'13. In a binding of the class described. binding means including a linger portim comprising superimposed layers of flexible material cementitiously Joined with unioined portions forming opposite lips, said finger portion being adapted I to pass through matter tobe bound. and having an extremity cementitiously secured between said iipstoiormabindingloop."-

lips, whereby to procure two bindings from each 

